Cash register



1516x520 A. L. VALPEY 'Feb. 8 1927.

CASH REGISTER Filed Sept. 22., 1923 IN V EN TOR; .ABIY/(IR. L. I ALPEY.

- WTTNESE.

Patented Feb. 1927.

Y ;umi-TEasrArEs PATENT eFFIc-E.

' L, VALPZEY; OFILION, NEW YORK, ASSIGNGR T0 REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY,

INC., A conrcnarron or DELAWARE.

. CASH REGISTER.

Application filed September 22, 1923. Serial Nq. 664,222.

"This inventionrelates to improvements in 7 cash registers and has more particular relation toimprovements in the engaging mecha- -nisn afor totalizers. '15 One ofthe objects of the present invention is to provide improved means for preventing an engagement between the totahzer and the operating mechanism whenever one iota plurality of special keys is operated.

:Still another object of the present invention is toiprevent any accidental or inten-:

. 'tional movement of..the totalizer when it is adjusted so as to prevent a co-operative relationship between; the. wheels and their related operating mechanism. .The illustrai tiveeembodimentis further provided with .Inechani-sm for preventing any fraudulent .operation "of the totalizer mechanism after, aregistration .of an item -11 1 qmmen ed.

; For: the purpose of illustration; the present invention-is shown applied to the type of cashiregisters shown, and described in the Letters Patent, issued to, Thomas Carney,-

dated May 23, 1893, #497,860, and to E. J.

Von Pein, $51,371,653 dated March 15, 1921. i

"'lhisembodiment is illustrative only as .the I improvements are capable (either with or without modification and change) ofappl 1- cation to imachines of-other types and it is the desire not to be limited in the form of embodiment herein shown and described.

: -With these and incidental objects1 in view, theinvention consists in certain novel fea .tures of construction and combination of parts, arpreferred form of embodiment of .which is hereinafter descrlbed and reference to the drawings which accompany and form part ofthe specification.

. "'Fig; 1 is a transverse sectional view of a cash .registergof the type shown and described inthepatents to Carney and Von Bein with thevarious novel. features applied thereto.

'Ei g'.'. Qis a top plan viewof the mechanism detached from the machine frame, and

1 .shows the; connections between the. totalizer.

disengaging mechanism and the special keys for eontrolling the same.

Described in detail the machine comprises a series of amount keys 15, and a plurality of transaction ,keys :16. All or the keys associatedwith the twoiclassesijust referred to disengaging are pivoted at their central portions upon a transverse rod l'l' suitably journalled in the side frames of the machine.

are depressed. the nose 20 of, the coupler will enter the notches 21 of theidepressedikeys.

Connected to the key coupler 18,:is a double rackbar 22 provided withrack teeth 23 which co-operate at the desiredvtimewith ,theteethof a pinion 24csecuredto a drive shaft 25. Asthe coupler: 18-is rocked by an operation of the keys, therackis raised and lowered, the rack teeth alternately engagingthe teeth of the pinion 24. The result of. the above construction: isthat a complete reciprocation ofthe .coupler 1-8 will effect a completerotation of theshaft 25. The, shaft 25 carries cams andothendevices for operating. various partsv of the mecha- .nism.

The mechanism foreifecting a complete rotation of the shaft lS= l1Qli3ll3Ii shown nor described in detail. since ituis old and well known .in the 'art. l-Iowever, for-details of: constructionand operation reference may be had to the patent issued to Thomas Carney, #4:97,860, May 23, 1893.

The series of keys 16. which have been hereinbefore designated. as transaction or throw-out? keys are of a different construction than the amount keys 15; and. substantially of the construction shown and described in the patentto. J. Von Pein, #1,371,653, dated March. 15,1921. For a fuller and more complete description of the operation of these keysreference; may. be made to this patent.

The transaction .keys are so constructed that they may be given ajsl ight. preliminary depression and held in their depressed position by suitablelocking devices. Thispreliminary. movement of the keyswvill have no effect upon the mainoperatingmechanism and; will bring. into operation certain mechanism associated withtheutotalizer engaging mechanism so that upon a further depression of the. transaction key :and amount keys, the .totahzer Will, be held an its disengaged pos tion and-the amount entered in thema- C") r. Ml

chine will not be inserted in the totalizer. The keys 16 have their upper rear edges cut away as at 26 so that the keys may be given an initial depression without moving the coupler 18. As is the case with the amount keys the special keys 16 are provided with notches 27 to co-operate with the nose of the coupler 18.

The rear end of each transaction key is provided with a pair of pawls 28 and 29 the normal positions of which are substantially that shown in Fig. 1. The pawl 28 is pivoted upon the rear end of the key at 30 and is normally held against the frame portion 31 by a spring 32 interposed between a stud 36 and the forward edge of the pawl. The pawl. 28 is provided with a hook end adapted to co-operate with a locking point of the pawl 29 as will hereinafter be described.

WVhen any one of the keys 16 is depressed the rear end of the key will be elevated sufficiently until the lower end of the pawl 28 passes clear of the frame portion 31, when under the action of the spring 32, the lower end of the said pawl will move rearwardly above the frame portion 31. In this manner the transaction keys will be held in their partially depressed positions.

As the rear end of the depressed key moves upward the upper edge of the pawl 29 will strike the underside of the nose 20 of the coupler 18 and during a continued depression of the keys the pawl 29 will be rocked counter-clockwise about its pivot 37 carrying the point at away from the hook 33 of the pawl 28 and bringing the upper edge 35 across the notch 27 in the depressed transaction key.

This initial depression of any of the trans action keys will, when the rear end of the key is elevated, cause the point 38 which is at the outer end of the notch 27 to cross the arc of movement of the rear edge of the nose 18 of the key coupler, consequently when the coupler 18 is rocked counter-clockwise about its pivot 19 the nose 20 will engage the point 38 at the outer end of the notch 27 of the transaction keys 16 and upon the continued movement of the coupler 18 under the control of the amount keys 15 the rear end of the partially depressed transaction keys 16 will be carried upward with the key coupler 18 thereby completing the operation of the previously partially depressed key.

As this operation takes place the nose 20 of the coupler 18 will enter the notch 27 of the depressed transaction key and engage the upper edge 35 of the pawl 29. During the continued operation of the key coupler 18 the pawl 29 will be rocked clockwise about its pivot 37 until the point 34 of the pawl 28 will be brought into position adjacent the hook 33 of the pawl 28. At this time the pawl 28 will have passed free of the frame portion 31, the spring 32 being effective to rock the pawl 28 about its pivot 30 in a counter-clockwise direction causing the hook portion of the pawl 28 to engage and lock over the point 34 of the pawl 29. This will hold the upper edge 35 of the pawl 29 rigid against the underside of the nose 20 of the coupler 18.

When the transaction and amount keys have completed their movement in one direction, by virtue of the weight of the coupler and associated parts the keys will begin their upward or negative stroke.

As the key coupler rests upon the amount keys this downward or clockwise movement of the coupler 18 will be applied directly to these keys, and since the cut-away portion. 26 of the transaction keys does not permit of the key coupler directly contacing with the said keys, the nose 20 resting upon the upper edge 35 of the pawl 29 will perform the function of restoring the transaction keys to their normal position.

As the transaction keys reach their normal position a beveled rear face 39 formed on the lower end of the pawl 29 will engage the curved edge 40 of the frame portion 31 and upon the continued restoring movement of any transaction keys 16 the pawl 28 will be rocked about its pivot 30 thereby disengaging the hook portion 33 from the point 34; of the pawl, the parts then being again in the position shown in Fig. 1. The construction and operation of the above mechanism is the same as that of patent, to Von Pein, 1,371,653 referred to.

As shown and described in detail in the patent to Carney the amount keys are arranged in series or banks of different denominational order. Associated with the keys relating to a particular bank is a registering frame carrying a registering segment which engages at the desired time a totalizer element corresponding to the bank of keys which operate upon the registering frame. Since the differential mechanism is alike for the different denominational orders a description of one will suflice for all.

Each key 15 related to the cents bank has pivoted at its rear end a lifting plate 41 formed with a recessed portion 4:2 which engages a transverse bar 4-3 carried by the cents registering frame 44. Secured to the registering frame 4 1 is a registering segment 15, the teeth of which engage at the proper times the pinion 16 of the cents totalizer wheel 17. The slots 4:2 in the plates 41 are graduated so that they will cause the registering segment to give the totalizer wheel a differential movement corresponding to the value of a depressed key. The manner in which these parts cooperate is well known and fully described in detail in the Carney patent.

The totalizer shown in the illustrative embodiment is substantially the type shown anddescribed in the patents to A. W1 Marr,

#570,178 and #570,196 dated October 27,

i 1896. The-six totalizer elements 47 and 48 are in the form of wheels rotatably mounted in a shaftjournaled in a rocking totalizer frame 49. 1 The totalizer frame is pivoted at its lower end at 500 and is adapted to be racks.

rocked during each. operation of the machine,

The mechanism whereby the totalizerelements arev thrown into engagement with the operating segments will now be described.

a cam 53 secured to the rotation shaft 25. ;The forwardend 54 of the totahzer engaging lever rests just beneath and in direct contact with a transverse lug formed upon a member 56 slidably mounted and carried by the totalizerframe-49. The lug 55 in turn is in immediate contact with a stud 57 carried by the totalizer frame 49.

The result of the above construction is that whenever the shaft 25 is rotated by a depression of the amount keys the rollers 52 carried by the lever 51 will co-operate with the cam 53 and force the forward end 54 of the counter engaging lever upward. Since the forward ;end 54 is in immediate contact with the lug 55 on the member 56 carried by thetotalizer frame and since the lug contacts with the stud 57 secured to the totalizcr frame, the upward movement of the lever 51 will rock the totalizer pinions into engagementwith the operating segments 45.

. The. totalizer pinions are thrown into engagement with the segments before any movement of the registering segments is begun. This engagement continues during the downward stroke of the .outer ends of the keys. 'At thecompletion of the downward stroke of the keys the cam 53 will act upon the, rollers 52 and depress: the forward end of the totalizer engaging lever 51 where by by virtue of the engagement between the pivot stud, 500 and upper end of the slot 58 thelever will rock 'the totalizer pinions out of engagement with their corresponding During the return movement of the keys the pinions will remain disengaged, so thatthe return movement of the segment racks will have no effect upon the totalizer .elements.

Certain of the keys 16 referred to hereinbefore have been designated as-transaction keys, andv as shown in Fig. 2 these keys are the Paid out and Charge keys. In or- .der to have the totalizer accumulate only the money received by the various clerks it is desirable that these keys, which do not involve the receipt of cash, throw-out the totalizerwheneveranyone of these keys is operated in conjunction with the summit keys. The novel means for accomplishing the desired results will now be explained.

As previously stated the forward end 54 of the totalizer engaging lever 51 is in engagement with a lug 55 on a slidable member 56. The member 56 is guided in its reciprocatory movements by studs 60 and 61 secured to the totalizcr frame 49. 'A coilspring 62 interposed between the totalizer frame 49 and a spring stud secured to theslide 56 tends to movethe slide forwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1. The'slide 56 is provided with a cut away portion 63 the purpose of which will appear hereinafter.

The slide 56 is prevented from moving forwardly under the influence of the spring 62 by a stud 64 carried by a movable stop member 65 pivoted upon the' key shaft 17. The member 65 is secured at 66 to .an upstanding bail comprising two side members 67 and 68 and a crossbar 69. This bail in turn is secured to a second bail comprising two side members 70 and 71-and a cross bar 7 2. Due to the fact that certain mechanism is placed beneath the key shaft 17 between the side members .67 and 68 it was necessary to construct the bail mechanism so that the cross bar 69 would be above the key shaft 17 thereby avoiding interferencewith other parts of the register mechanism.

. Placed adjacent andassociated with each throw-out key is a bail operating plate 73 pivoted upon the keyshaft 17. Each bail operating plate 73 is provided with a lug 74 contacting with the lower edge of a key 16 and has further a downwardly extending projection 75 hearing against the forward edge of the bail 72. Aspring 7 6 is interposed between. thebail 72 and the frame of the machine, the tension of this spring being sufiicient to; overcomethe tension existing in the spring 62, thereby retaining the relationship between the stud 64 and the slide 56 substantially as that shown in. the drawings as premised hereinbefore. When the parts are in this position the totalizer will be thrown into engagement with the operating segments during the first movement of the amount keys 15.

l fhenever a throwout key 16 is depressed to its partially depressed position the parts will be adjusted so that. upon a depression of the amount keys a co-operative relationship between the totalizer pinions will be prevented. The manner in which this is accomplished will now be described.

Whenever a throwoutkey16is depressed a slight amount the pawl 28 contacting with the portion 31 of the frame. will retain the operated key in its depressed position. Dur- "agthe time that the key was depressed the engagement .of the lug 75 with the forward edge of the bail 72 will rock the said .bail as well as the bail 69.counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1. The rocking movement of the bail will be imparted to the movable stop member 65 carrying the stud 64: for ward, thereby permitting the spring (32 to draw the slide 56 forwardly. When in this operated position the lug 55 occupies a position just forward of the lug 5 of the totalizer engaging lever, the cutaway portion 63 of the slide 56 now being directly over the end 54-. It is of course understood that no movement of the shaft or coupler 18 takes place during this preliminary movement of a transaction key.

Upon a depression of any amount key the forward end 5% of totalizing engaging lever 51 will be elevated but will have no effect upon the totalizer frame since the lug 55 has been withdrawn and the end 5e will merely play idly in the cut-away portion 63. To permit of the movement of the totalizer engaging lever 51 without affecting any movement of the totalizer frame the said lever is provided with the enlarged aperture 58 surrounding the pivot shaft 500 of the totalizer as stated hereinbefore.

It is desirable that means be provided to prevent the totalizer from falling into mesh either by its own weight or by the applica tion of force when the totalizer is to remain unoperated during an operation of the machine. In order to preclude this possibility the member (35 is provided with an upper edge 77 which is concentric to the key shaft 17. hen the stop member is partly or fully forward the stud 61 will be directly over the concentric edge and the totalizer will thus remain locked until the keys have been restored to normal.

Means are further provided for preventing any operation of the totalizer throwout mechanism after the keys begin to operate. Just forward of the concentric edge 77 just referred to is a locking notch 78. When the totalizer is thrown into mesh the stud 61 will enter the locking notch 78 thereby preventing any movement of the stop member 65 or parts attached thereto. Due to this construction it will be impossible to actuate any part of the totalizer throwout mechanism after the registration of an item has begun.

lVhile the embodiment herein shown and lescribed is well adapted to fulfill the objects above stated, it is not the intention to limit the invention to the one form, as it is capable of various modifications and *hanges all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is 1. In a cash register comprising amount keys and differential mechanism controlled thereby, the combination of a totalizer frame and totalizer elements carried thereby, a lever for engaging the totalizer elements with the difierential mechanism during an operation of the machine, a slidable member mounted on said totalizer frame and adjust able in the plane of said lever capable of rendering the lever ineffective to engage the totalizer elements with the dilferentiz'zl mechanism and spring means tending to move the adjustable member to a position to render the said lever ineffective.

2. In a cash register, comprisin amount keys, special keys, and differential mecha- 'ism controlled by said. amount keys, in combination, a totalizer frame and totalizer elements carried thereby, a lever for engaging the totalizer elements with the dif- "erential mechani m during an operation of ihe machine. a slidablc member mounted on said totalizer frame and adjustable in the plane of said lever, capable of rendering the lever ineffective to engage the totalizer elements with the differential ll'lGCllfll'llSll'l, spring ll'li'fzlnfs tei'iding to move the adj ustable member to a position to render the said lever ineffective, and means whereby the operation of said special keys permits the said spring means to become effective.

ln a cash register, comprising amount keys, special keys, totalizer elements and means controlled by the amount keys for actuating the totalizer elements, in combination a lever operated during each operation of the machine for engaging the totalizer elements with the said means, a member provided with a lug normally in engagement with one end of the said lever but adjustable in the plane of the lever, spring means tending to move the adjustable member from its normal position, a movable stop member preventing the operation of the spring means, and devices under the control of the special keys for moving the said stop member thereby permitting the spring means to disengage the said lug from the lever and preventing an engagement of the totalizer elements with the first recited means.

f. in a cash register, comprising amount keys, special keys, a totalizor frame and totalizer elements carried thereby, and a differential mechanism, in combination, a lever operated during each operation of the machine for engaging the totalizer elements with the differential mechanism, an adjustable member movable to different positions for controlling the effectiveness of the lever for totalizer engagement, tensioning means for moving the said adjustable member, a pivoted member having means for preventing the operation of the said tensioning means, a bail connected to the pivoted member, and means associated with each special key for operating the bail and pivoted member thereby permitting said tensioning means to move the adjustable member to a position wherein the lever will be ineffective for totalizer engagement.

5. In a cash register, comprising amount keys, special keys, a totalizer frame and totalizer elements carried thereby, and adifferential mechanism, in combination, a lever operated during each operation of the machine for engaging the totalizer elements With the differentialmechanism, an adjustable member movable to differ ent positions for controlling the effectiveness of the lever for totalizer engagement, tensioning means for moving the said'adjustable member, a pivoted member carrying a stud in engagement With the adjustable member for preventing the operation of said tensioning means, a bail connected to the pivoted mem her, a second tensioning means for holding the bail in its normal position and means associated With each special key when operated for operating the bail and pivoted member thereby Withdrawing the stud and I permitting the first said tensioning means totalizer frame for engaging the totalizer elements With the differential mechanism during an operation of the machine, a slide carried by the totalizer frame capable of movement parallel to said lever for rendering the lever ineffective to engage the totalizer elements with the differential mechanism, and spring means tending to move the slide to a position to render the said lever ineffective.

7. In a machine of the class described a rocking frame, a. totalizer mounted therein, differential actuators for said totalizer normally disengaged therefrom, a lever operated upon each operation of the machine for rocking said totalizer into engagement with th actuators, a spring tensioned slide adjustable in a plane parallel to said lever to determine the effectivity of said lever, and a key controlled member provided with a stud to determine the position of adjustment of said slide, said member including means to prevent rocking of said frame When the slide is adjusted to render the lever ineffective.

In Witness whereof I have signed my name this th day of September, 1923.

ARTHUR L. VALPEY. 

